Foldable fiberboard egg case



K. C. FERGUSON FOLDBLE FIBEnBoAnn EGG cAsE sept. 1s, 1947.

v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. l. 1943 lfllll l f l l l n l 1 1 r a f l l f f x s \f Mmmm Kaw fm frenz/5m Sept. 16, 1947.

K. c. FERGUSON FOLDABLE FIBERBOARD BGG` CASE Filed Nov. 1, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2` Illllll'lll Patented Sept. 16,V 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT: OFFICE@ FOLDABLE FIBERBOABD EGG CASE KenncthC. Ferguson, Indianapolis, Ind., assignor to Inland Container Corporation, Indianapolis, Ind., a corporation n Application November 1, 1943, serial No. 508,505.

2 claims. (01. 229-21) y 2 of said portions I2 and 'I3 are apertured, the apertures registering to form hand holes I4 in the end of the case. VThe stock of the hand hole I4 Iin the end wall isturned -inwardly as'at I5 and upwardly as at I6 and forms a smooth upper bearing in the hand .hole I4 and serves to lock portions I2and I3 together.

The top of wall I2 is turned inwardly as at Il and forms a smooth top bearing for the end wall structure. Flap or tongue I8 extends downwardly and inwardly and laps the upper end of the adtition is formed by`the liner means, the central partition supporting the cover intermediate the ends thereof, wherein the 'liner means and case proper may be apertured for ventilation, the apertures registerngnfor the latter purpose and non-registering when one o'r the other aforesaid is inverted or turned end for end for non-ventilation, and a case wherein the cover is locked t'o the case. I

All of the aforesaid features therein disclosed are also retained in the present disclosure.

The chief object of the present invention is to provide a. multitrip case embodying all the aforesaid features plus the desirable objective that the case when closed is substantially devoid of all protuberances or projections, so that side or end contact will be substantially of facial and not localized in character. 'i

vHerein the case may-be of three or four piece construction, as is the case disclosed in the copending application.

Other objects and features' of the invention will be set forth more fully-hereinafter.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims:

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal central sectional view jacent innermost portion I3. This also constitutes an end wall structure lock, same being maintained by the cover, although, if desired, but shown herein, the tongue -II may bear outside of same for locking purposes. If desired, this tongue I8 may be long enough to lap tongue I6, as shown in Fig. '7 of the aforesaid application.

Herein the central partition structure includes a pair of walls 20 of case width and depth. These may be joined together at their bottom edges'as .at 2|, thereby distinguishing from upper junction as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of said copending application.

Extendingoutwardly from each side edge of partition 2U is the sidewall reenforcing portion of the coveredegg case embodying the invention,

the flats, fillers and partitions being omitted therefrom.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the covered case.

Fig. 3l is a transverse central section. f

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the cover blank.

Fig. '5 is a plan view of the partition and sidewall blank.

Fig. 6 is a planview of the box proper blank.

In the drawings I0 indicates the bottom, I I the sidewalls and I2 the end walls and integral with each side edgeof each side wall is a wall forming portion I3'. These portions at'opposite ends of the case lap each and lie inside the end wall I2. Each 22. Each at its outer side edge includes an inturned flap 23. The two confronting flaps 23, see Fig. l, are retained by the downturned tongue I on the end wall. Hence, the partition is locked to the case. Ob-

serve that the Space between adjacent side edges of ilaps 23 is at least as great as the Width of the hand hole. Should, however, necessity demand a four, ve or six ply end wall, the tongue I8 may be extended downwardly and hand hole apertured and/or either or both of the aps 23 may be extended laterally for full end width and hand hole apertured. The foregoing interlocking construction permits of extension for further or additional ply wall construction when desired.

Each side wall II at its-upper edge includes an I inturned flap I8, longitudinally coextensive with the sidewall, except at the immediateends thereof. 'I'hese aps rest upon the partitions 20 near .their sides and overlie and rest upon the upper edges of sidewall-portions 22 and serve, when the case is closed, etc., to retain the partition structure in position.

Note that each of the partition portions 20 are apertured at 24 and these apertures register.

the apertures do not register and ventilation is prevented. In this respect the partitioned case herein is similar to that disclosed in Fig. 1 of the aforesaid application and has the same objectives and advantages.

In Figs. 1 to 3, the cover includes two major portions 21. Adjacent ends are provided with depending portions 28 united at their lower ends as at 29. As shown in Fig. 1, the reversely folded portions 28 are nested between adjacent partitions 20.

Each portion 21 overlies the iiaps I9 and bears thereon. Each portion 21 at its remote end terminates in a depending tongue 39 that is adapted to be tucked downwardly and inwardly between the adjacent side edges of iiaps I9 and tongue I8 for cover locking. Each portion 21 adjacent tongue 30 has a linger hole 3l to facilitate opening the cover.

Observe central depending portions 28 are not as wide as portions 21 and that each portion 28, adjacent its connection to top portion 21 is notched as at 32. After the box has been assembled and locked by the end wall flaps I8 it may be filled. Then flaps I9 are elevated to permit nesting of cover portions 28 between the/.partitions 20. When nearly fully nested the flaps I9 are infolded and seat in notches 32, thereby locking the cover to the box with portions 21 of the cover overlying flaps I9 now held down by the cover. The shortening of the length of flaps I9 permits the cover tongues 39 to lit between the end aps vI8 and the side edges of flaps I3 'when the box or case is closed, thus constituting another lock.

The foregoing structure permits of Aready access to the case contents for sampling, candling, grading, etc. A case of this character, when made of corrugated board, by way of example, is capable of repeated reuse. Use of egg ats, fillers, etc., reeniorce the top and bottom. The partition structure herein, and case proper formation provide for multiple wall construction.

The several advantages set forth in the copending application, naturally, likewise, are ineluded. herein together with the advantage herein that no portion of the case projects beyond the wall outlines and cover.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in great detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character.

The several .modifications described herein, as v well as others which will readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in this art, all are considered to be within the broad scope of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. An egg case structure including in combination a one-piece case having independent downwardly directed and inturned locking tongues at a pair of opposite sides, dual partitions immediately adjacent each other and substantially parallel to and intermediate said sides, lateral extensions on the partitions parallel to and coextensive with the other pair of sides, flap ends on said extensions retainable in nrst mentioned side contact by said tongues, a cover for the case 'naving a midportion nestable between the partitions and end portions in frictional engagement with the locking tongues, and inwardly directed flaps on the top edges of the said other pair of sides and overlying the partitions adjacent thereto, the cover bearing on said last mentioned flaps, the nested portion of the cover being notched for last mentioned flap reception for cover retention.

2. A covered case structure including a onepiece blank including a bottom, sidewalls integral therewith, end walls integral with the bottom, flaps on the upper edges of the sidewalls and directed towards each other and substantially coplanar when the case is erected, flaps on the side edges of the sidewalls and directed angularly thereof and positionable adjacent the adjacent 'end wall, tongues on the upper edges of the end walls and directed inwardly and thence downwardly for sidewall retention and case formation, and a one-piece blank cover including an intermediate reversely folded case receivable portion, adjacent cover forming portions bearable on the first mentioned aps, and tongues at the free ends of the cover for case insertion between the side edges of the first mentioned aps and end wall tongues, at least one of the first mentioned sidewall flaps and reversely folded por! tion of the cover being notched for the interlocking association of the other for cover retention.

KENNETH C. FERGUSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the Number Name Date 2,285,731 Magley June 9, 1942 2,326,947 Hurrey et al Aug. 17, 1949 2,192,006 Cook Feb. 27, 1940 2,276,800 Sprague Mar. 17, 1942 2,342,564 Van Saun Feb. 22, 1944 2,309,134 Morgan' 1 Jan. 26, 1943 2,006,822 Andrews July 2, 1935 2,233,221 Olivier Feb. 25, 1941 2,117,678 Reaume May 17,1938 2,167,691 Shoemaker et a1. Aug. l, 1939 2,340,394 Limbert et al. Feb. l, 1944 2,012,132 Koppelman et a1. Aug. 20, 1935 1,976,530 Verhoven Oct. 9, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 548,495 Great Britain 1---- Oct. 13, 1942 

